Fresh Start
by ShannonSto
Summary: Weekly Improv challenge response. The first and last lines are given.


**A/N**: Believe it or not, I wrote this Tuesday.  I'm thrilled that it appears my optimism was rewarded! Whew!  Anyway, bear with me; the first half is a lot more serious in tone than the second half.  Oh, and if there is an actual company named Bellisima that deals in hair care products, I offer my sincerest apologies. It's intended to be a fictional operation.

**Disclaimer**: Don't even get me started.

There was something growing in the break room fridge again.  Something that made Catherine Willows none too happy.  Cleaning the break room seemed to be an apropos activity; today was the day Nick and Sara were coming back to work, and it felt like a fresh start.  She wrinkled her nose as she snaked her arm through the maze of plastic containers and takeout boxes and removed the offending package.  The top of the container of beef and broccoli was adorned with a barely legible "N.S. 7/1. Hands off!"

Catherine felt a wave of grief wash over her.  Her longtime friend had been reinstated, but the food left in the refrigerator was an echo of a not-so-distant past, and a reminder of how close she had come to losing two people from her life.  Her heart ached as she pondered what would have happened if the lab's director had not come to his senses.  How long would they have continued to come across these little remnants of Nick and Sara?  Their ghosts were everywhere.

To the casual observer, it would have appeared that Catherine wouldn't be at all concerned about Sara's departure, as the relationship between the two strong-willed women was tempestuous at best.  She hadn't always treated Sara as respectfully as she should have, but deep down she liked the younger woman. Sara had an admirable spunk and determination that both brought them together and put them at odds. Still, they had occasionally shared some genuine bonding moments over things that only another woman could understand.

The news that the two CSIs had been fired shot throughout the building like a bolt of lightning.  Shock and disbelief overwhelmed the staff, and the lab felt like a funeral home.  When they had learned in the subsequent hours and days that two of their own had lost their livelihoods over a paperwork mix-up, anger fueled their already swirling emotions.  Needless to say, morale was very low.  Catherine was especially worried about Grissom.  She knew he cared about Nick, too, but the loss of Sara was a devastating blow.  He hid his emotional distress behind a mask of outrage on his colleagues' behalves, yet everyone knew what the situation did to him personally.  Catherine suspected that if Sara couldn't be retained, Gil's resignation would soon be on Cavallo's desk.

As she continued straightening the break room, she silently thanked God that it hadn't come to that.  Robert Cavallo had intended to make an example of them, but had apparently lost sight of the bigger picture.    Fortunately, he eventually caved in to pressure and put new offers on the table for both of them.  Nick signed immediately, but Sara was hesitant.   For her, being dismissed was only the latest in a long line of professional insults.  Grissom went to her apartment to talk with her, and hours later she accepted Cavallo's offer.  Catherine would have loved to have been a fly on the wall for the conversation between Gil and Sara.  She wondered if this signaled a new beginning for them as well.

"Safe to come in?" a wonderfully familiar voice asked from the doorway.  Catherine turned to see her friend's broad grin.  Behind him stood a still uncomfortable looking Sara Sidle.

"Yes! Get in here!"  The blonde drew Nick into a bear hug, and then did the same with Sara.

Sara was momentarily taken aback by the gesture of affection, but returned it sincerely.  She really hoped that the past was now the past and they could start over with a clean slate.

"Welcome back," Warrick greeted as he entered. He gave Nick a slap on the back and presented Sara with a single yellow rose.

Grissom stood a safe distance back, but his voice relayed the depth of his emotion.  "It's good to have you both back."

Time moved steadily ahead as the criminalists worked.  Catherine was assigned to work with Nick and Greg.  The trio stood in the layout room, gathered around the array of Bellisima hair care products Greg had purchased.

"According to the manufacturer," Greg explained, "and our victim's husband, these chemicals you see before you are a miracle of the hair care industry.  They can straighten your hair.  They can frost your hair.  They can color your hair.  They can restore your natural color after a bad coloring job.  They can even curl your hair without rollers or a curling iron, which is what Mr. Johansen claims it did for his late wife."

Catherine crossed her arms.  "No shampoo is going to curl your hair, Greg."

"That's what I think.  And if we're right, if she had to have taken the time after her shower to style her hair, then Mr. Johansen is lying about the time frame of his wife's death."

"Oh, this totally calls for an experiment!" Nick enthused.  "Cath, let us borrow your hair."

Catherine recoiled. "Hey, back up, Cowboy! What's wrong with my hair?  Nicky, if it wasn't your first night back…"

"Nothing, nothing. It's perfect, like always.  You're just the only one that has enough hair to test this stuff."  Nick turned on his Texas charm.  He poured a small amount of liquid from one of the bottles into a cup and handed it to her.  "Please?  The instructions say to leave it on for five minutes."

"Okay," Catherine sighed. "But I'm only doing a small section. On the underside."

Five minutes later, Greg called Nick back into the layout room.  "Hey, I'm almost afraid to ask," he said as he held up two Bellisima bottles, "but why is _this_ one light and _this _one full?"

"'Cause that's the one I poured for Catherine."

Greg's expression spoke volumes as he sputtered out, "Nick! _This _one is the curl formula.  You gave Catherine 'I'm Gonna Kick Your Ass' Willows the hair remover!"

The Texan's face went white. "Oh shit!"

From the direction of the locker room, a furious bellow sounded. "Nicholas Stokes!"

Nick practically bowled over Archie as he made a mad dash for the men's room.  Moments later, a curious Grissom stuck his head in the door of the layout room. Catherine, a towel covering her head, peered over his shoulder. Grissom's eyebrows asked the question.

"Nick is in the bathroom hiding from Catherine," Archie replied.


End file.
